Senate Republicans circulating draft of DREAM Act alternative

posted at 8:35 pm on November 15, 2012 by Allahpundit

I can’t understand why Senate Democrats would agree to this. Republicans are in a panic over the Latino vote; liberals have never had them in a more vulnerable position than they do now. If you’re Harry Reid or Chuck Schumer, why let the GOP off easy by settling for a limited amnesty that helps Republicans repair their image with Latinos while legalizing only a subset of the illegal population? Why not drive the hardest bargain you can and go for broke with full-blown comprehensive immigration reform? If the DREAM Act passes, it might embolden some GOP fencesitters into voting no later on a comprehensive bill on the theory that they’ve already done their duty by compromising on immigration. If I were Reid, I’d tell McConnell et al. that there’s no deal on DREAM unless it’s bundled into an omnibus immigration bill that addresses illegals of all ages.

Essentially, the proposal involves several tiers: W-1 visa status would allow an immigrant to attend college or serve in the military (they have six years to get a degree). After doing so, they would be eligible to apply for a four-year nonimmigrant work visa (also can be used for graduate degrees.)

Next, applicants would be eligible to apply for a permanent visa (no welfare benefits.) Finally, after a set number of years, citizenship “could follow…”

Many conservatives, of course, opposed the DREAM Act because it creates a special pathway to citizenship, allowing illegal immigrants to get in line ahead of other immigrants who are following the rules, and potentially creating a problem of chain migration.

The ACHIEVE Act seems to resolve this problem by granting undocumented children nonimmigrant visas so that they can go to school and work in the U.S., and, after a decade, or so, puts them on the regular pathway towards permanent residence (and potentially, citizenship.)

Follow the link up top for Matt Lewis’s list of eligibility qualifications. Applicants are limited to those 28 years old or younger (32 if they have a B.A.) who arrived in America before their 14th birthday. They need to have lived here for five years, “have knowledge of the English language,” and no criminal record beyond one misdemeanor. Rest assured that if the bill passes, all of these requirements will be summarily attacked in court by immigration lawyers in hopes of having them expanded or nullified, especially the provision excluding any new illegals who arrived within the past five years. Likewise, if there’s no pathway to citizenship included in the original bill because that’s where GOP fencesitters draw the line, Democrats will get straight to work afterward on pushing for an amendment to add one. (That “amendment” may come in the form of a larger comprehensive bill if this somehow does end up passing before they take that up.) Amnesty without citizenship is pointless for the left; labor groups aren’t thrilled about adding millions of new workers who’ll bid wages down but they’ll grudgingly accept it if it means millions more votes for organized labor’s political patrons. And in fairness, it’d be bizarre to grant someone a permanent visa under ACHIEVE on the theory that they’re part of America and blameless for the illegality that brought them here while also telling them that they can never, ever be eligible to fully participate in American democracy by voting. Second-class citizenship could cause more problems than a straight amnesty.

As for the politics, I think this is as coherent a case as can be made:

[I]f there is a path to citizenship for [illegals and permanent legal residents], it will only increase the already fast-rising clout of the Latino vote, which could be twice as big as it is now by 2030, according to Pew. What’s more, it’s hard to see former illegal immigrants and permanent residents voting against the party that gave them a path to citizenship.

Immigration, of course, isn’t the only issue that matters to Latino voters — and too often coverage of them suggests it is — but it is an issue which is very important to a very large portion of these voters.

And if immigration reform gets done without the GOP being on board, whether in this Congress or in the near future, it will be even worse for Republicans than 2012 was. Whatever problems they have with Latinos now, they will pale to the day when the GOP is matched up against a Democratic Party that successfully passed immigration reform without much or any Republican involvement.

Yeah. Any caving that the GOP does now isn’t about winning new votes, it’s about preventing further losses. Essentially, they’ll be trying to freeze their disadvantage with Latinos at 71/27 to buy time so that they can figure out a way to try to win back some voters and reduce the Democrats’ advantage. Problem is, even with a shift ongoing among Republicans on this issue, any amnesty bill is still going to pass primarily with Democratic support. (If it gets through the House, it may well be that only a minority of Republicans end up supporting it.) It’s a Democratic president who’ll sign it into law. If you’re a voter who cares about this issue, the lesson will be that you’re better off lining up with Democrats — at least in the near term — because (a) the Democrats get results and (b) Republicans will do most anything they can to try to get back in your good graces. Meanwhile, we’ll have ended up setting millions of people on a path to citizenship, and if the last 30 years are any guide, at best those voters are likely to break roughly 60/40 for Democrats on election day. Ronald Reagan amnestized millions of people in his second term. A few years later, his VP got a smaller share of the Latino vote than he did. Four years after that, he got a smaller share still. And four years after that, Bob Dole bottomed out at 21%. For all the angst over Romney’s showing among Latino voters this year, as a share of the electorate he actually did better than Bush in ’92 and Dole in ’96. If the GOP’s going to do amnesty, it had better do it because it fervently believes it’s the right thing to do. That’s the only way to justify the electoral losses it’s going to take from this.

Here’s Marco Rubio talking policy today with Major Garrett at the Aspen Institute. The immigration section starts at around 9:30. He said recently that he supports more border enforcement before dealing with amnesty questions, and he has a good line here about people not being willing to hear you out if they think you want to deport their grandmother. But as I say, that’s why immigration advocates will eventually push for full amnesty for everyone, no matter what restrictions are imposed in DREAM or ACHIEVE or comprehensive immigration reform. Will people hear us out if you make clear that you don’t want to deport grandma but also don’t want her to vote? She’s part of the country, after all. And she’s really impressed with the next generation of Democratic candidates.

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Yea, I see those signs. Google Organpipe NATIONAL Monument. But they are 40 miles south of me too. They are needed. Some stupid NY’er from the upper eastside might decide to buy an RV after a huge stock sale, and travel. Campgrounds all over, but,,, the hair on the back of my neck goes up even in daylight. I’m being honest when I say I don’t even feel safe armed to the gills, and I am. Goddamned war zone in my back yard. Can’t even go camping without foxhole mentality.

Who amongst you lives this way? Our border should mean something.

Usually those signs are riddled with bulletholes, and I don’t think it’s drunk rednecks doing it.

No, not at all. There is something wrong with a government intervening in the market and controlling goods and labor. Opening the borders to the free exchange of goods and labor is a boon to the market, benefiting the business, the worker, and the consumer; it does not require that citizenship be granted or that entitlements be given.

No, not at all. There is something wrong with a government intervening in the market and controlling goods and labor. Opening the borders to the free exchange of goods and labor is a boon to the market, benefiting the business, the worker, and the consumer; it does not require that citizenship be granted or that entitlements be given.

Dante on November 15, 2012 at 10:38 PM

That only works if you DON’T have a welfare state — which we do. [Refer to the Milton Friedman quote posted earler ...]

No, not at all. There is something wrong with a government intervening in the market and controlling goods and labor. Opening the borders to the free exchange of goods and labor is a boon to the market, benefiting the business, the worker, and the consumer; it does not require that citizenship be granted or that entitlements be given.

Yea, I see those signs. Google Organpipe NATIONAL Monument. But they are 40 miles south of me too. They are needed. Some stupid NY’er from the upper eastside might decide to buy an RV after a huge stock sale, and travel. Campgrounds all over, but,,, the hair on the back of my neck goes up even in daylight. I’m being honest when I say I don’t even feel safe armed to the gills, and I am. Goddamned war zone in my back yard. Can’t even go camping without foxhole mentality.

Who amongst you lives this way? Our border should mean something.

Usually those signs are riddled with bulletholes, and I don’t think it’s drunk rednecks doing it.

wolly4321 on November 15, 2012 at 10:34 PM

It will only change if the safe white suburbs like Chrissie Matthews’ Chevy Chase becomes a war zone as well, and then it’s probably too late.

They have exactly the sort of lawlessness you advocate. No government at all. You just cannot grasp that Somalia is in fact the end result of your political beliefs if they were ever applied in real life.

I don’t like the part about someone who’s served in the military and put their life on the line for our country waiting for their citizenship. Such individuals have already done far more than quite a few of our most august political leaders, which group includes the two last candidates for President — neither of which served.

If you’re Harry Reid or Chuck Schumer, why let the GOP off easy by settling for a limited amnesty that helps Republicans repair their image with Latinos..?

Do you believe in bigfoot too? How about unicorns and fairies(the magic kind, not the gay kind)? Maybe if we pass a bill saying they exist, fairies, unicorns and bigfoot will come out of the shadows and vote for republicans too.

What’s more, it’s hard to see former illegal immigrants and permanent residents voting against the party that gave them a path to citizenship.

Bwaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha a ha. Yeah, I’m sure these newly legal immigrants will research the issue to see who gave them amnesty. You know, just like young women researched the issues and discovered Obama and the dems were lying about Republicans taking their birth control away.

They have exactly the sort of lawlessness you advocate. No government at all. You just cannot grasp that Somalia is in fact the end result of your political beliefs if they were ever applied in real life.

sharrukin on November 15, 2012 at 10:51 PM

I’m at a loss as to how the free exchange of goods and labor suddenly leads to loss of sovereignty.

The Constitution certainly allows it between the States, and nobody is saying that criminals should be allowed to enter this country, or that goods which would not be beneficial to our commerce should be. Certainly the current prohibitions on illegal immigrants is totally Constitutional — and relaxing them would be totally Constitutional as well.

As Ms. Condoleezza Rice has mentioned in her RNC speech, we, by not not allowing free trade (she points out the large numbers of free trade agreements signed by China over the past four years, as opposed to the zero — nada — zip — agreements signed by the USA) — are ceding markets to those willing to sign free trade agreements. And the broken immigration policy (just as broken as our policy toward slavery was 150 years ago) begs for ignorance of the laws of the land.

People tend to ignore laws which are unjust, and this is no exception. How many of us call the FBI every time we see some guy looking for work at the Home Depot? Those guys are the obvious tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

Do we need to acknowledge changing demographics? Absolutely. Do we change the message, embracing identity politics? Hell no. Do we jump on the amnesty bandwagon, assuming illegal immigrants from SOCIALIST NATIONS SEEKING SOCIALIST SOLUTIONS will therefore vote for us? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

NO.

I can’t think of a worse thing to do, aside from everything this administration does, is doing, will do, is fantasizing doing. Just NO.

This has been a truly discouraging progression… since Michelle left the picture, both Allah and Ed have invested a lot of energy supporting leftist positions. Their posts have become less and less concerned with disguising their bent… the first paragraph of this thread is a heads-up alert to the left for how to respond to the challenge. It’s been happening a lot. Who needs another cloaked KOS or Huffpo…?

“So you’re probably in a state of shock. They all lied to you. It wasn’t even close. Ohio, Pennsylvania, even Virginia – Virginia! – the great Southern state of Washington, Jefferson, and Lee. All went to Barack Obama. And as you watched the gloating on MSNBC, the victory parties in the major cities, the undisguised loathing for you at the likes of the Huffington Post, or Gawker, or Slate, you felt a sick feeling in your gut that something was deeply wrong.

Mitt Romney won the same share of the white vote as Ronald Reagan. It didn’t matter. You worked your butt off with your church, your charity group, your neighbors. It was undone by some Somalis who can’t speak English that the Democrats bussed in and told to vote “Brown all the way down,” and they weren’t just referring to the Democratic candidate’s name.

Take a good, hard look at those Obama victory rallies. They are celebrating your dispossession, your displacement from the country your ancestors built. They don’t even disguise their hatred. And even though you don’t think in terms of race, they do.

Michael Moore called it a victory over hate. Howard Fineman gloated that America was turning it’s back on tradition, and thank God. Twitter erupted with black voters screeching in triumph, bragging that America belongs to them now.

Even the President of the United States said “voting is the best revenge.” Revenge for what? Aren’t we all in this together? Doesn’t this country belong to all of us?

Do you get it yet? It’s revenge against you – for existing. It’s revenge for “racism,” for conservatism, for success, for being strong, and proud and accomplished. It’s vengeance against the America that once was. They have their revenge for the fact that your country existed. Barack Obama is President of these states united, and was re-elected because, not in spite of the fact that he despises everything America was.

Look, I was like you. I was a patriotic, normal Republican. I knocked on doors for city council. I wanted Colin Powell to be President, because “a black Republican will help everyone get beyond race!” I was there too.

And then I started looking around.

It doesn’t matter if black unemployment is skyrocketing and their communities are devastated – they vote black. It doesn’t matter if Nevada has the worst economy in the country – they vote Hispanic. It doesn’t matter if candidates are running for re-election from the Mayo Clinic, or Congressmen think islands tip over if too many people are on them, or if blacks are worse off, by every measure, when African-Americans are in charge. It simply doesn’t matter…

Hispanics have always voted Democratic by wide majorities. George W Bush was the exception when he got over v40% of their vote but even he never had a chance in California.Of course, as the Hispanic vote percentages increase thyis does not auger well for future Republican candidates.

However there are a few encouraging signs (if Republican idiots don’t push the panic button and play pander bear to Hispanics-earning only contempt and dreision not support.)

1 Unlike most blacks, Hipanics have a solid family structure where the father (‘padre de familia’) is placed at the center-translated this means stability since the teenage son won’t beat up the mother (with no father around) as soon as he surpasses her in physical prowess.
2 People with strong family values (such as Hispanics)tend to have a more cultural, religious and dare I say conservative? outlook on life. They also tend to have a stronger work ethic.
3 Also, unlike blacks, Hispanics are much less pressured to “jump ship” and join the Republican party if they feel it is to their advantage to do so.So their would not be a comparable ‘El Tio Tomas’ (Uncle Tom) for a ‘defecting’ Hispanic.
4 Like blacks-Hispanics have a higher unemployment rate than other ethnic and racial groups. I believe the next four years will be pure hell for America–and worst of all for Hispanics and blacks.

If Republicans correctly play their own race card and highlight the top of the ticket (NEXT TIME) with high caliber conservatives such as Susannah Martinez or, especially, Marco Rubio, that economically starved Hispanics-perhaps in the high 30s to low 40′s will rally to the Republican cause. But forget about appeasing bad behavior.

Republicans need to drop this whole college degree nonsense. All the requirements stated above should be in the law. However, the Dream Act should only apply to those illegal immigrants who serve in the US military for a full 6 year enlistment term and are honorably discharged (OTH and anything lower should not count). If they are willing to honorably serve our county and its interests, then they should be allowed to stay and become citizens.

If you’re Harry Reid or Chuck Schumer, why let the GOP off easy by settling for a limited amnesty that helps Republicans repair their image with Latinos while legalizing only a subset of the illegal population? Why not drive the hardest bargain you can and go for broke with full-blown comprehensive immigration reform?

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET….

Abortion loving, gay marriage supporting, tax and spend libs are the most racist, anti-immigrant people in the country.

In Texas, you can be in a consversation with a brain-dead lib and disagree on EVERYTHING until you get to immigration. Even many ultra libs have a “shoot them at the border” mentality.

Foreigners should not be allowed to serve in the US armed forces. Period.

If you’re not a citizen, or legal resident, do not serve. We don’t need a mercenary army.

rightwingyahooo on November 16, 2012 at 12:51 AM

All the same requirements would remain intact: W-1 visas, being here before the age of 14, fluent in English, no criminal background. Just take the college degree provision out of the law. If you are willing to risk your life defending the US, there’s no reason why you should not be given visas and a pathway to citizenship. There is no higher calling than the military. Just a difference of opinion from yours.

The military is a politically correct, constitutionally compromised joke, and the foreign troops serving in your favorite uniform will obey illegal orders to search, disarm, and arrest your family members when the time comes.

You mean well, but are making a horrible mistake.

It is sad to say this, but at this particular time in our history, whatever weakens the US military helps to preserve what little freedom remains to any citizen who still values it.

The US military will soon be the armed forces of a totalitarian government.

Most exciting is that a lot of those qualifying for this tax-funded program will also qualify for affirmative action and preferential entry on college entrance. But hey, some are just more equal than others.

Reid is in a box. If 8 years of Obama go by without immigration reform, the ‘rats will look pretty useless to everyone. His plan, rather expectatio,n is that the GOP will submit to endless demogoguing from them, the media, the RINOs, and the sweatshop lobby.

The GOP should never ever give up on amnesty, or those awful DREAM Acts, but they may as well beat them all to the DREAM punch in a smart way, especially if the bill prevents chain migration, dependency, scamming, requires actual graduation, and is ACLU-proof (none of which those wretched DREAM Acts did or had).

The only way to make it better is to throw some major bones towards high-skilled legal immigration. The Beltway secret is that the D-Rats hate highly-skilled legal immigrants (because they are harder to turn into dependents) and constantly scheme to shut down related programs and green cards. Use the same bill to liberalize high-skilled legal immigration and the D’s will either cede lots of ground on the immigration issue or expose themselves as a bunch of “nativists” themselves.

Human Events and Redstate are quickly becoming the elitist establishment we conservatives have railed against for years.Redstate periodically purges those conservatives who dare to disagree with their moderators and now on Human Events we are consistently treated to an onslaught of “moderate” pablum.They are rapidly going the way of National Review,which surely has Bill Buckley spinning in his grave.

The country is going down the toilet and our government is gearing up for 2016. Voters still arguing over abortion. Muslims want to bring in sharia law. The media is stirring the pudding keeping our thoughts away from the four murdered Americans and a treasonous Administration. They got the President and the Sec. of State out of the Country in order to keep them away from mikes and cameras. What could go wrong?

I just can’t get past labeling people as those who will do jobs that regular americans won’t.

That is not compassion…that is creating another lowe class even lower than what we have now.

The democrats have no reason for a resolution to this. Like most things we will wait until it is too late and it won’t matter. Plus, we are no mean-spirited for having a higher standard for individuals.

Just thought of another inherent amnesty: If any of the ‘students’ held jobs they had to use a stolen/fraudulent SSN which involves a victim (often children’s IDs are used because they tend not to check their credit etc).

I’m willing to be they will get amnesty while the victims are left cleaning up the mess of corrupted employment/earnings records, corrupted medical records (if the ‘DREAMer’ received treatment under the SSN), as well as their credit records. Nice parting gift.

The Republicans can try to by their votes with amnesty and throw victims under the bus. It won’t work – it’s never worked before. Better yet, it is likely to backfire as well when it alienates the base.

The answer is easy. Put forward a law, that immigrants are welcome, but they must be processed into the nation. That isn’t hard, we did it for decades at Ellis Island. Set up a handful of processing stations at high volume traffic points. We screen for health and security related issues. Figure two, or three days to inprocess the hopeful citizen. Medical exam to make sure the immigrant doesn’t bring a disease into our nation that is a public health hazard. A check on criminal history with their home nation.

Anyone who comes in without going through the process is obviously intending to commit other crimes, and shall be deported immediately. Those that are here, and “living in the shadows” need to go through the process too. One one side of a wall, you are citizens of whatever nation you came from. On the other side, you’re properly green carded residents of the United States with appointments to see social workers about your education and testing to join our fair nation.

We did it for decades at Ellis Island. We stopped many public health hazards there. We treated those that were curable, and we welcomed them into our country. We can do it again. But we won’t, because that solution is too simple for everyone involved.

As you can see in the photo here, Jill Kelley, the social-climbing military groupie at the center of the David Petraeus sex scandal, tried to cozy up to Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

Kelley, in a revealing low cut dress, is pictured posing with Rubio, who successfully manages to keep his gaze directly into the camera. Kelley’s twin sister Natalie Khawam is pictured on the right.

“Jill Kelly loves the spotlight and it was disrespectful that she came to our event without paying when people paid $1000+,” a witness told Page Six via e-mail about the March 2010 fundraiser in Florida. “Rubio had his picture taken with many people that night and nothing was remarkable about this one. Jill Kelly wasn’t even on our guest list.”
Twitter
Jill Kelley, Marco Rubio, Natalie Khawam (Kelley’s twin sister)

“[Jill and Natalie] came in quickly, asked for a photo and left,” added the witness.

The Post reported today that Kelley lost her unfettered base access after her claims that she had received threatening e-mails from Petraeus’ mistress, Paula Broadwell.

Lost in the argument to sanctify those who are here illegally are the thousands of people who have applied for legal immigration to the US. People who may have waited for many years for their names to come to the top of the list of people from their country already approved but subject to an immigration quota.

It’s easy.The GOP should position itself as the party of legal immigration and the Democrats as the party of illegal immigration. How hard is that?

PatJDooley on November 15, 2012 at 10:29 PM

Do you even know that we allow in, legally, 1 million a year. That’s far more than any other country in the world. The GOP HAS been the party of legal immigration and what has it got them? How many is enough?

We did it for decades at Ellis Island. We stopped many public health hazards there. We treated those that were curable, and we welcomed them into our country. We can do it again. But we won’t, because that solution is too simple for everyone involved.

Snake307 on November 16, 2012 at 10:46 AM

Yes we did it….before we became a welfare state. It’s not hard to figure out, if you have a brain, that open borders and a welfare state cannot both exist…..for very long.

Is the GOP this desperate to hang on to power??
rik on November 15, 2012 at 8:49 PM

You have hit the nail on the head. This is the GOP in all it’s glory. Flailing, and thrashing around in an attempt to maintain it’s power. Ideology and principles all thrown out the window when their positions of power become threatened.

She couldn’t handle the heat in the coldest kitchen in the nation (literally) and you’re gonna nominate her for Sous Chef. Good luck with that even if the GOP supports her and even if the voting demographic isn’t already too far gone.

You know, I honestly don’t think I give a crap today. Idiots are running this country into the ground and there’s just no way to stop them. If Republicans had any backbone AT ALL, they wouldn’t be in the mess they’re in today. They’re too afraid of saying the politically incorrect TRUTH, which is that these people have come over the border ILLEGALLY and are ROBBING American taxpayers blind via our welfare programs.

If a burglar comes into your house and takes money out of your wallet, that’s a crime. But if the government allows people from all around the world to do the same… it’s compassion.

Hey GOP, do what suits you. Let your inner Socialist Democrat run wild. But don’t be surprised when the REAL Democrats beat your time, just like they always do when you play their game.

This is total nonsense. No matter what the GOP does or sponsors or co-sponsors or passes, the Hispanic and black votes will go to the Democrats. The Democrats get the parasite vote. The GOP gets the producer vote. Yes, there is some crossover – but not enough to matter.

Another reason the moderate big government Democrats who call themselves Republicans need to go the way of the Whigs. A moderate cannot out-Democrat and left-wing progressive big government Democrat. The people offering up this retarded idea whould do the nation a favor and remove themselves from our sight.